Is San Marino a heroic ode to liberty or just a glorified souvenir shop that declared independence?  My skepticism toward the world’s oldest republic — a small enclave bordered by Italy (but mostly the province of Rimini) on all sides — had put me off visiting, despite living a short train and bus ride away. The Italians I know harbor generally bad opinions of San Marino, dismissing it as a gimmick or a money laundering racket for dirty Italian money. Think Switzerland without the substance. 

A few (foreign) friends had gone there to watch the San Marino national football team, which has its own peculiar charm. As a full member of FIFA, San Marino can theoretically compete in the World Cup just like any other country and so often plays qualifiers against “big teams” — a mismatch that frequently produces hilariously lopsided results.